B'Day (by Beyonce Knowles, Pop)

The B'DAY album of Beyoncé is nothing less than a total explosion of dance-party fun. Kicking off with "Déjà vu," a red-hot duet with Jay-Z, the divine Ms. B. comes into her own as a songwriter, performer, and champion of female empowerment and self-esteem. Lyrics follow the twists and turns of a woman's heart with most of the sexual innuendo defused by a strong sense of fun. She soars and whispers, croons and shouts, delivering honesty, soul, intelligence, sensuality, and humor in her performances.

In Beyoncé's world, girlfriends help each other through good times, bad times, quiet times, and party times. This message comes across loud and clear not only in the song lyrics, but also in the wonderful interplay between the lead and background vocals, lending subliminal support to Beyoncé's girl-power message. The instrumental tracks, though sometimes melodically monotonous, are exquisitely performed and produced. On B'Day, Beyoncé demonstrates her ever-growing musical versatility, taste, and songwriting abilities.